photo credit: Allie_Caulfield

Breathing is the source of life: if breathing stops, do does life. On average, an adult breathe 16-18 times per minutes, each time about 500ml of air exchanged in the lungs. When breathing in from the outside air, oxygen content is about 21% while carbon dioxide is 0.03%. On the other hand, breathing out produces about 16.5% oxygen and 4.5% carbon dioxide.

Based on the average of 16-18 breath per minutes, it can be estimated that the volume of air exchanged in the lungs is about 8000-9000ml. From this, the content of both oxygen and carbon dioxide exchanged can also be calculated.

http://www.taichikungsecrets.com/blog/tai-ch-breathing

In calculating the air exchanged, there’s a factor that needs to be considered: there’s about 150ml of air left in the Ineffective Retention.

What is Ineffective Retention?

Ineffective Retention refers to the space between the lungs and the nose, that is, the space in the nasal, throat, trachea, and bronchus which contains residual air of about 150ml. The residual air in Ineffective Retention has more carbon dioxide and lesser oxygen compared to the air outside.

Each inhale of 500ml of air from the outside will include this 150ml residual air in the Ineffective Retention. This means the effective oxygen content in each inhale is in fact lesser than 21%! This means, for every minute, you will be taking in about 2400-2700ml of residual air in the Ineffective Retention space!

http://www.taichikungsecrets.com/blog/tai-ch-breathing

Active air volume in the lungs is very important. Thus, through deep breathing, achieved through abdominal breathing – the air exchange in the lungs can be increased to 2000-6000ml, and at times, exceeding 6000ml!

And with deep breathing, which takes longer time per breath. On average, if you do deep and slow breathing, you can reduce the rate of breathing to 9 times per minutes, taking more than 2000ml of air per inhale. This will in effect, reduce the number of times where the 150 ml of air in the Ineffective Retention going back into the lung. This means that only 1350ml of residual air going back into the lung exchange, but fresh air exchanged is more than 18000ml per minute!

This increases oxygen intake significantly. Blood circulation and metabolism rate will increase, and immune system will be enhanced through deep, abdominal breathing!

This is another proof to show that Tai Chi Breathing has its scientific logic and reason for improving your health conditions and mental well-being. However, the data above showed how health can be improved by deep abdominal breathing alone only.

My system involves 5 Steps of Tai Chi Breathing, and abdominal breathing is only Step 2 of the whole system, and on its on, has shown such tremendous effect on your body health. What about other steps? And if you are interested in learning how to do Tai Chi Breathing correctly, and to make it your habit, go to my website under my signature and find out how.

And may the Energy of Tai Chi be with you!

Written by:
C. Guan Soo
Tai Chi Lover
TaichiBreathing .com

I highly recommend you to try this exercise and feel the difference it makes to your health. Have fun along the way too!

Tai Chi/
One exercise you can safely do everyday
even at 80 years old

Actually, Tai Chi is more than exercise.

It’s about movements to circulate your body invisible energy called “chi”. Smooth circulation of “chi” energy ensures a healthy body. Stagnant and blocked “chi” energy causes all sorts of chronic disease.

And this ancient exercise is none other than the Tai Chi.

This ancient exercise is really a martial arts form – very powerful and subtle. It looks slow but fast, gentle but strong, soft but hard… based on the foundation of yin and yang.

It produces very strong internal energy called “jing”. Because of this energy, you can feel more energetic and stronger. Tai Chi is also proven to improve many types of chronic diseases and aging problems.

Master Chan is a martial arts fanatic. In the course of 31 years, he tried all sorts of martial arts but settled for Tai Chi as the best.

He is actually the 6th generation Yang Tai Chi Master originated from Yongnian, near Shanghai, China. As a student of Master Fu Sheng Yan, he even had direct training with his Grand Master – the well known Master Fu Zhong Wen. ..Tai Chi Program

Tai Chi Kung is an excellent way to improve you quality of life:  So come on over, check out the site, and see how these teaching tai chi videos can help you!

photo credit: stevendepolo

Some of our Grandmothers used to: knit, others read, some sat in their rocking chairs. And today’s Grandmothers? They Do Tai Chi!

Today’s motto…You are never too old to learn.

Many seniors (and some of them “very seniors” prefer Tai Chi to knitting.  Imagine.

Tai Chi is a very gentle art of exercise with many benefits, and the seniors recognize that they can do this form of exercise.

Check in your neighborhood for lessons…or, try the online Tai Chi program.

And remember, always consult YOUR health professional first.

The videos make it all very clear. I think you will be able to master the art.

“Amazing! There is so much thought into writing this book! The exercises and practices are simple and clearly explained. It uses a lot of repetition, and it is effective to drill the steps into my mind.